14th to 24th February 2000 (Weeks 7&8)

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Sadly enough our vacation draws to a close. During the last 10 remaining days we travelled from Townsville back to Cairns. Due to the heavy rainfalls over the last 2 Weeks, we found a lot of places along the way that were still submerged. The main highway between Townsville and Cairns was even closed to traffic for 4 days. We followed the Bruce Highway Innisfail where we took the Palmerston Highway into the Atherton Tablelands.

Just to see the difference, we visited again the Millaa Millaa Falls and the Barron Falls. Now in the Wet Season the amount of water flowing over these waterfalls has increased dramatically. In Yungaburra we spent a very pleasant evening with friends from Mareeba we met up at Cape York almost half a year ago.

On the way to Cairns we visited teh Coffee Works. Locally grown coffee is roasted here fresh to the order of the customers. Coffee can only be grown in a tropical climate. Currently Australia grows around 200 tons of coffee per year. 180 tons are grown in Mareeba. Here we enjoyed a very interesting talk about how coffee is grown, processed and finally roasted to perfection. The next stop then was at the Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda. Of the Worlds around 25'000 species, around 350 live all over Australia.

In Cairns we cleaned our car and prepared it for its return. As well we enjoyed very much our daily visits at the Beethoven Coffee shop. Here we found beautifully crusty bread rolls with Buendnerfleisch. Just like at home, actually I think even better to be honest.

Over the next few days we went on 2 trips to the Great Barrier Reef for some snorkeling as well as to the Rainforest Habitat in Port Douglas. The Rainforest Habitat features beautiful and spacious aviaries inhabited by the most colourful parrots and birds. as well a very good place to see a cassowary, koalas and kaenguruhs.

Finally on the 23rd of February we boarded our plane which would bring us back to Switzerland. The flight took almost 30 hours and brought us via stops in Darwin, Singapore and London back to Zuerich. in Zuerich we were picked up at the Airport by some of our friends. Another 90 minutes later we were back at home. By now we hadn't seen a bed in over 48 hours.

With this page we end now the documentation of an unforgetable trip in a very beautiful and diverse country featuring everything from Rainforests over Deserts, the Great Barrier Reef and even Snow in the Snowy Mountains. Not to forget the natural diversity, almost 10 % of all the plant and animal species on earth are at home in Australia.

If we weted your appetite to travel to Australia to look and see for yourselves, then we reached our goal. if you like to know more about our expirience, drop us an email, we never tire to talk about our beloved Australia.


Magnetic Island: A last look at Magnetic Island Magnetic Island: The Barge approaching the ramp Magnetic Island: Approaching Townsville Near Tully: A view of the coastline Millaa Millaa Falls in the Wet Season
A Spider having Dinner The countryside at Millaa Millaa Picturesque Trees Lake Barrine Teahouse Lake Barrine
Only a part of the trunk of the Cathedral Fig Tree The Cathedral Fig Tree has a crown of the size of 3 olympic swimming pools Little River in the Dunbulla State Rainforest Growing Fern Lake Euramo
Arabica Coffee Plant Coffee roasting Old Coffee Mill Roasted Coffees are available here in a number of varieties Butterfly Sanctuary Kuranda: Butterfly with luminescent spots going from white to blue
Butterfly Sanctuary Kuranda: Cruiser Butterfly Butterfly Sanctuary Kuranda: Hercules Moth with a wing span of almost 20 cm Cruising to Michaelmas Cay onboard the Ocean Spirit Michaelmas Cay, a coral reef and bird sanctuary Michaelmas Cay: Home of these Terns
Michaelmas Cay: Corals and Fish Michaelmas Cay: On the way to explore the vincinity Michaelmas Cay: Giant clams Michaelmas Cay: Veronika in one of the fashionable Life Vests Michaelmas Cay: Some more Fish ......
Michaelmas Cay: ...... and Giant Clams Michaelmas Cay: Onboard Entertainement on the way Back to Cairns Michaelmas Cay: Ocean Spirit II returning from Upolu Cay Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Cassowary Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Dove
Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Ibis Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Male King Parrot Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Pelican Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Tawny Frogmouth Owl Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Pademelon Wallaby
It's time to board our plane in Cairns The land is covered with ponds and rivers near Darwin due to the Wet Season Just started out of London A warm welcome by some of our friends awaited us in Zürich Some more of our Friends looked after our Gourmet Needs by inviting us for a Raclette and a relaxing game
Magnetic Island: A last look at Magnetic Island
Magnetic Island: The Barge approaching the ramp
 
Magnetic Island: Approaching Townsville
Near Tully: A view of the coastline
 
Millaa Millaa Falls in the Wet Season
A Spider having Dinner
 
The countryside at Millaa Millaa
Picturesque Trees
 
Lake Barrine Teahouse
Lake Barrine
 
Only a part of the trunk of the Cathedral Fig Tree
The Cathedral Fig Tree has a crown of the size of 3 olympic swimming pools
 
Little River in the Dunbulla State Rainforest
Growing Fern
 
Lake Euramo
Arabica Coffee Plant
 
Coffee roasting
Old Coffee Mill
 
Roasted Coffees are available here in a number of varieties
Butterfly Sanctuary Kuranda: Butterfly with luminescent spots going from white to blue
 
Butterfly Sanctuary Kuranda: Cruiser Butterfly
Butterfly Sanctuary Kuranda: Hercules Moth with a wing span of almost 20 cm
 
Cruising to Michaelmas Cay onboard the Ocean Spirit
Michaelmas Cay, a coral reef and bird sanctuary
 
Michaelmas Cay: Home of these Terns
Michaelmas Cay: Corals and Fish
 
Michaelmas Cay: On the way to explore the vincinity
Michaelmas Cay: Giant clams
 
Michaelmas Cay: Veronika in one of the fashionable Life Vests
Michaelmas Cay: Some more Fish ......
 
Michaelmas Cay: ...... and Giant Clams
Michaelmas Cay: Onboard Entertainement on the way Back to Cairns
 
Michaelmas Cay: Ocean Spirit II returning from Upolu Cay
Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Cassowary
 
Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Dove
Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Ibis
 
Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Male King Parrot
Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Pelican
 
Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Tawny Frogmouth Owl
Rainforest Habitat Port Douglas: Pademelon Wallaby
 
It's time to board our plane in Cairns
The land is covered with ponds and rivers near Darwin due to the Wet Season
 
Just started out of London
A warm welcome by some of our friends awaited us in Zürich
 
Some more of our Friends looked after our Gourmet Needs by inviting us for a Raclette and a relaxing game
Linie
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Linie


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Last Updated : 28th February 2000


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